Thousands gathered in central London to witness the Trooping the Colour ceremony, marking the King’s official birthday with traditional pomp and ceremony. King Charles, dressed in ceremonial uniform and a black armband, led tributes to those lost in the recent Air India plane crash. The event began with the Royal Procession along The Mall, followed by a grand parade in Horse Guards Parade, where the King inspected guardsmen accompanied by military bands and the Household Cavalry. Members of the Royal Family, including the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children, joined the procession in carriages.
++ Austria grapples with gun law reform after deadly school shooting
As a gesture of mourning, black armbands were worn by senior officers, coachmen, and members of the Royal Family. A minute’s silence was observed following the King’s inspection of the troops, punctuated by the solemn tones of the Last Post and the Reveille. Buckingham Palace confirmed that the King had personally requested the modifications to the programme to honour the 241 lives lost in the disaster, including more than 50 British nationals. The moment echoed the decision by Queen Elizabeth II to mark the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017 in a similar way.
The parade saw the Irish Guards and the Coldstream Guards at the centre of the military spectacle, with their regimental flag—the Colour—ceremonially trooped before the monarch. Catherine, Princess of Wales, attended in her role as Colonel of the Irish Guards and wore a blue coat dress matching her regiment’s colours. It marked her return to public ceremonial duties following cancer treatment. Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis also made an appearance, greeted with cheers from spectators along the procession route.
++ Call to ban bottom trawling in UK marine protected areas gains momentum
The ceremony concluded with the Royal Family gathering on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the traditional RAF flypast. The Red Arrows drew trails of red, white and blue across the sky, using a mix of sustainable and conventional jet fuels. The King and Queen, joined by other senior royals, waved to the crowds before retreating into the palace. Despite the celebratory tone, the national moment of silence gave the day a tone of dignity and remembrance, reinforcing the monarchy’s sensitivity to shared public grief.
